Simcoe Muskoka logs 21 new COVID-19 cases

Barrie, Ont. -

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit logged 21 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for Simcoe Muskoka, said 10 of the latest cases were among unvaccinated residents, five had one dose, and six residents were fully immunized.

There are currently 165 active cases in the region, including six hospitalizations.

"Three of them were community-acquired, which means we don't know how they acquired their infection," Gardner said during his COVID-19 live update on Tuesday. "Two are from close contacts of a case, and one is under investigation. None of them had been immunized," he said of those admitted to hospital with the virus.

The daily moving average of new cases has been increasing and is now above 10 cases per day compared to an average of three per day in July.

Most local infections were reported throughout the pandemic in the southern parts of the region, including Barrie, Bradford, New Tecumseth, Essa and Innisfil.

The cases reported Tuesday are in Barrie (6), New Tecumseth (5), Tay (2), Wasaga Beach (2), Bradford (1), Essa (1), Orillia (1), Innisfil (1), Springwater (1), and Tiny (1).

A total of 256 Simcoe Muskoka residents died after contracting COVID-19, including six deaths in June, four in July and one so far in August.

VACCINATION LATEST

Public health reports that 71 per cent of Simcoe Muskoka residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Currently, 81 per cent of residents 12 and older have had at least one shot, including 75 per cent of students 12 to 17.

Gardner noted that vaccinated residents could still become infected with COVID-19 but are less likely to become severely ill.

"Immunized individuals who become cases, they are just as capable of transmitting to other people," Gardner said.

Meanwhile, the region's top doctor is calling on the province to finalize and release modelling for the virus in the fall, adding he fears cases could soar among unvaccinated students as schools are set to reopen to in-person learning.

Currently, only children born in 2009 or earlier are eligible for the vaccine.

"We could have potentially, a large number of cases and hospital admissions that it could, in particular, impact younger people because it will be clustered overwhelmingly among the unvaccinated or the incompletely vaccinated," he said.

ONTARIO COVID-19 LATEST

The province listed 486 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, marking the lowest count in five days.

Ontario reports of the new cases in the past 24 hours, 372 were in people either not fully vaccinated or whose vaccine status is unknown.

An expert on Ontario's Science Advisory Table said he expects the province to see case counts rise to about 1,300 daily in roughly three weeks.

On Tuesday, the province also noted 18 COVID-19-related deaths, though it said 16 of those happened more than two months ago and are being logged as a data clean-up.

WHERE TO FIND A VACCINE WALK-IN CLINIC

The health unit plans to close its mass immunization clinics on Friday.

Vaccines will continue to be available to residents at the COVID-19 vaccine centre on Sperling Drive in Barrie until Sept. 29.

Residents can also get the vaccine at local pharmacies, through a health-care provider, or at pop-up vaccination clinics:

Tues., Aug. 24
Shopper's Drug Mart - Georgian Mall (lower level)
509 Bayfield St., Barrie
11:00am - 5:00pm

Holly Recreation Centre
171 Mapleton Ave., Barrie
4:00pm - 8:00pm

Wasaga Beach Rec Plex
1724 Mosley St., Wasaga Beach
3:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Bradford Leisure Centre
471 West Park Ave., Bradford
2pm - 8pm

Wed., Aug. 25
Rotary Champlain Wendat Park (near the splash pad)
Corner of Scott and Water Streets, Penetanguishene
10am - 3pm

Thurs., Aug. 26
Rotary Champlain Wendat Park (near the splash pad)
Corner of Scott and Water Streets, Penetanguishene
10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Weber Manufacturing
16566 Highway 12, Midland
2:00pm - 7:00pm

Loretto Fire Hall
2821 Regional Road (Hwy) 50, Loretto
3pm - 7pm

Fri., Aug. 27
Tanger Outlets Cookstown (Old Children's Place store location)
3311 County Road 89, Cookstown
10:30am - 5pm

Sat., Aug. 28
Open Air Dunlop (Dunlop St., Barrie)
10:00am - 4:00pm

Oro-Medonte Community Arena
71 Line 4 N., Oro-Medonte
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Home Hardware Building Centre (parking lot)
104 High St., Collingwood
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Perkinsfield Pavilion
43 County Rd. 6 South, Perkinsfield
10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Sun., Aug. 29
Shopper's Drug Mart - Georgian Mall (lower level)
509 Bayfield St., Barrie
11:00am - 5:00pm

With files from CTV's Mike Arsalides and CTV News Toronto